Former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalization Committee chairman Clinton Urling, says he is puzzled by the intention of the GFF to initiate a professional league despite being the administrators of the Elite League, which is the primier local club football event.
According to Urling in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sports, an article which appeared in the December 15th edition of the Stabroek News and was headlined, ‘Guyana’s football to get Pro League come 2021’, raised many questions regarding the intention of starting another professional league despite the existence of the ‘Elite League’.
He explained, “Both the headline and the contents of the article left me befuddled. I was already under the impression that Guyana had a professional league, which is called the ‘Elite League’. The Elite League (EL) was established in 2015 and it represented the highest level of Guyana’s football. The intention of the Normalization Committee, in conjunction with FIFA, was to establish Guyana’s first professional league.”
Urling elaborated, “The GFF had amended its constitution to acknowledge the clubs that participated in the EL and those clubs were given voting powers at GFF decision-making forums (a first for Guyana’s football). Moreover, for the first time players and officials were remunerated for each game and clubs had to reform and meet stringent requirements, in conformity with FIFA and CONCACAF’s Club rules, in order to join the EL. Last I checked, the EL was still functioning as Guyana’s only professional league.”
“The Elite League in its formation was intended to be Guyana’s pro league and I was at the helm when those discussions and decisions were being made and implemented,” he said.
The GFF with the support of from the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) and the Confederation of North, Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf), has revealed an intention to create a professional football league in 2021.
Under an historic agreement to develop the league, the GFF will receive support from European football administrative and competitions experts to explore and define the most appropriate approach for establishing the required infrastructure, football standards, technical capacity and commercial ecosystem.
Urling stated, “Fast forward to 2020, we are hearing of the formation of the ‘first’ professional league, which is mystifying considering the EL. The media instead of publishing whatever statements emanating from the GFF should enquire what is the status of the EL? What makes this second attempt at a Pro League different from the EL? Is this new league necessary considering the time and resources already spent on the EL?”
He queried, “Wouldn’t it make sense to just strengthen and improve upon the EL’s infrastructure? Is it only with the participation and assistance from UEFA, only then can a Caribbean Football League be considered ‘professional’? The questions are too numerous and the footballing community needs answers.”
Asked what would be the structural changes or differences between the two events if the Elite League was intended to be a professional championship, and two, if the project is realized, what would become of the Elite League given that it has constitutional value and decision making status via the club’s voting rights Urling declared, “The latter two questions are very pertinent and which I expect those in the media to ask the GFF for answers. This entire excursion seems like a costly, and unnecessary, re-invention of the wheel.”
He added, “While UEFA has member countries with the most successful professional leagues, it does not mean that it can design a format that is suitable for Guyana’s unique realities. The know-how of the Guyana situation would be best left to locals who understand the consumers, players, officials, landscape, etc. UEFA’s involvement should be in an advisory capacity on how to build and improve upon the foundation of the Elite League and to provide funding where necessary.”
Quizzed if the decision by GFF is being initiated as means to create its own version of a professional environment, separate of the NC created Elite League, Urling posited, “In relation to your first question, it should matter not who created what, the important consideration is that the GFF has already expended millions of dollars and other resources to establish the professional Elite League. Why then would the same GFF now want to say we are going to scrap all that we have achieved these past five years and start over again?”
He added, “This approach makes no sense and I can find little justification for such an undertaking unless the GFF is admitting that its efforts these past years at managing the EL has failed, thus the need for a new one. Further, I would venture to forecast that any new league would achieve the same results as the Elite League since we are going to the same consuming public and saying to them look we have yet another league with the same teams, venues, players, officials, etc.”
